At the Oceania champs, Mick Hannah described the course as one of the most fun tracks he has ever ridden – and he is so right. Those of you that have been fortunate enough to have rode here will agree. At the Oceania Champs there was apparently 12 broken collarbones (I saw at least 6, with one being a mate), which should have calculated to the track being awful to ride and everyone hating it. But this just wasn’t the case – I think riders were just having way too much fun, feeling good on the track and fully pinning it. The broken certainly weren’t complaining.

The NZRide crew were lucky enough to have ridden it just over a week ago (check out Klaus from Germany doing a helmet cam run). Driving down to Vegas on the Saturday night, I realised about 20 minutes out from Vegas I didn’t have any mud’s, and it was starting to spit. Got in at about 8:30 went to the pub and watched the A.B.’s out muscle the Wallies, sorry meant Wallabies.  Woke up at 9:00, breakfast at Zippies (pancakes good but wished they still did French toast), and then headed up the track to meet up with Aldern Arden (Course designer). Walked the bottom section – mint – no mud tyres needed.

The track is approximately 2.2 kilometres and has a vertical drop of 330 meters.  The start ramp is going to be like nothing these riders have ever encountered before. It wasn’t finished when we were there, but judging from the scaffolding, it is going to be pretty extensive Maori Pa (maybe the odd Taniwha might show up).

From the start gate riders pedal off down a grassy, sheep rutted paddock. The paddock’s caught a few top riders out in the past. 2/3rds through the top paddock section there is a pond jump, which may catch a few riders out with the entry into it. From here the track carves left and crosses the road over a bridge with a drop off onto another paddock section for 200 meters before entering the tree section. This is where the fun really begins with nice pumping/flowing single-track. A few hundred meters in the tree section is a natural set down with a tight landing that you have to make or else it’s all over.

Through more flowing single-track before an easy drop off into a flat out section crossing a small bridge (bit dusty and skatey  coming into it) while turning up to take the rock drop with not much of a down slope landing which takes you to the Larches. This is steep, tight and twisty. If the riders can make it through here quick they will be looking good. This is the section where the race could be won or lost.

Out of the Larches and back onto a short paddock section. Then through a gate and across the road with a g-out, and into more of that flowing grippy tree section. Here you cross the luge track. You have to button off going over the bridge, as the down ramp goes straight into a long right-hand drifty bend then a left which if you’ve come in too hot, could cost some time. Then a small straight section with a kicker leads to more single track with another small bridge crossing.

Out of this section there is a rock garden (same section as previous, just with rocks cemented in there now). Its hard to keep good speed here as there is a tight right hand through it, and if you come in too fast you’ll drift out to the left (where you don’t want to be). You then cross the road pick up speed quickly before hitting the Boardwalk. The Boardwalk banks right and at the end if you have enough speed you will make the down-slope after the gap (if not you’re out of the running – it’s pretty easy though as Klaus has made it). 

From here you are only seconds from Glory. Over a Ponga drop and into 2 berms decorated with lovely native flora. The last berm drops straight into a rock section in the shape of a fern, which has steps every couple of meters. Fly through here doubling up what you can and then pin it to the finish.  

//SPOKE AND MANUAL MAGAZINE
new issues in stores now